Edwin a



(No Model.)

B. A. ROBBINS.

I SUSPENDERS. No. 247,112. Patented Sept. 13,1881.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN A. ROBBINS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR TO WILLIAM D.ROBERTSON, OF SAME PLACE.

SUSPENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,112, datedSeptember 13, 1881.

Application filed February 9, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. ROBBINS, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Suspenders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, durable, andconvenient selfadjusting suspender, which shall more readily to yieldand adapt itself to the many changes of position of the body of thewearer without causing undue strain upon any portion thereof; and itconsists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the backat- 1 taching cross-straps, connected at their upper ends to armsextending in opposite directions from a central coiled spring, to whichis connected a ring or eye, through which an evener or bar is adapted toslide longitudinally, said evener or bar being connected at each endwith each rear end of the shoulder-straps, as hereinafter more fullydescribed and set forth.

Figure 1 represents a View of a pair of suspenders constructed accordingto my invention. Fig. 2 represents a view of the back portion of thesame, illustrating the position of the evener when in use, one shoulderbeing elevated, or the shoulders being in an angular position.

A represents the webbing forming the suspender shoulder-straps, beingnon-elastic, and having connected to their rear ends narrower strips ofany suitable material, which strips are passed through the rings, eyes,or loops B, formed upon each end of the metallic curved bar or evener O,which is free to slide or move longitudinally through the ring, loop, oreye D, which is supported upon the spiral or coiled I wire spring E, theends of which extendin op- 0 posite directions and form lever-arms F,the outer or extreme ends of which are bent, formed,

or provided with rings, eyes, or loops H, adapted to receive the ends ofthenarrow straps L, which cross each other at about their mid- 5 length,or one may be passed through a loop formed in the other, as shown inFig. 1, or in such manner as may be desired, the lower ends beingprovided with button-holes, so as to permit of their connection with thewaistband of the garment, as heretofore, the said straps L beinglikewise non-elastic. The elasticity or elongation required by thestoopin g position of the wearer is provided for in the coiledspringring E, acted upon through the medium of the connecting lever-armsF, which support the rear Suspender-straps, L, as shown, and permittheir upper ends to move or be drawn inwardly.

Now, in order to provide for any unequal movementof the waistbands ofthe pantaloons in front or at the pockets therein when thefrontattaching-straps,N,aresecured to the buttons, as heretofore, or ingeneral use, I fasten the upper ends of the said button-straps to eyes,rings, or loops P, formed at each end of the curved evener T, whichmaybe connected with or detached from the catch or buckle hook R,secured and made adjustable upon the front ends of the. shoulderstrapsas now in use, this evener T operating similar to the one in the rear orat the back portion of the suspenders, but with less movement, thestraps N not being crossed, but simply extended on an angle to thebuttons, as before, and made of nonelastic material, whereby thesuspenders are rendered more durable and agreeable in their operation tothe body of the wearer.

I am well aware that suspenders have been heretofore provided withspiral springs attached in a variety of ways to non-elastic webbin g orshoulder-straps. Therefore I disclaim such.

I am aware that heretofore the front ends of suspenders have beenprovided with various devices adapted to slide through the bucklehooksimilar in construction to the device herein shown and described.Therefore I do not claim such as being my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The combination, ina pair of suspenders provided with back attaching cross-straps, L, andcoiled spring E, having arms F, to which the said cross-straps areattached, of the evener or bar B, having each end connected separately 5with each shoulder-strap, whereby said evener B is adapted to slidelongitudinally, substantially as described, as and for the purposes setforth.

EDWIN A. ROBBINS.

Witnesses:

SYLvENUs WALKER, JOHN GOODALE.

